Grain cleaner and separator.



No. 654,6I0. Patented luly 3! I900; .s. a. CULP.

GRAIN CLEANER AMUSEPABATOR.

(Application filed. :um'w, 1897.)

2 Sheik-Sheet I,

(No Model.

'SWWYUW 1' WMM No. 654,610 .Patented July 3!, I900;

s. n. CULP.

GRAIN CLEANER AND SEPARATOR.

(Application filed June 17, 1897.)

2 Shafts-(heat 2,

(No Model.)

XWWNDFY 2 THE Norms vzrzns co. PHOTO-UTNO., wnsumamm n. c.

UNIIED STATES PATENT FFICE.

SAMUEL R. GULF, OF lVEBSTER CITY, IOViTA.

GRAIN CLEANER AND S'EPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,610, dated July 31,1900. Application filed June 17,1897. Serial No. 641,18. (No mine.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I, SAMUEL R. GULP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Webster City, in the county of Hamilton and State of Iowa,have invented a new and useful Grain Cleaner and'Separator, of which thefollowing is a specification.

In certain localities it is customary to grow different sorts of grain,usually wheat and I oats, together; and my invention has for its 20shafts together.

object the provision of a machine which will clean and at the same timeseparate the various grains one from the other. I accomplish this by themechanism. illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1shows a vertical central section of the complete machine. Fig. 2 shows aside elevation of a part of the machine to illustrate the means forgearing the two agitator- Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a part ofthe sieve in which the wheat and oats are separated according to weight.Fig. 4 shows an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken through theline 4: 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 shows an enlarged View in perspective of thehead end of one of the adjustable sieves and a means for supporting, thesame.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the reference-numeral is used toindicate the frame of the machine, which may be constructed in anysuitable way to adapt it for the uses contemplated. For this reason thedetails of the construction of this frame will not be specificallydescribed.

Seated in the top of the main frame is a rec-J tangular frame 11,arranged at a suitable angle and open at its top and bottom. At thebottom of this frame 11 is a cross-piece 12, upon which the upper end ofthe frame 11 is 0 supported, and the reference numeral 13 in dicates abracket fixed to the main frame 10 to slidingly support the lower end ofthe frame 11. This frame 11 is agitated during the operation of themachine by means of an arm 14, having its upper end inserted in a smallopening in the cross-piece 12 and fixed at its lower end to a shaft 15,which shaft is rocked during the operation of the machine by mechanismhereinafter described. In this frame 11 is a seriesof grooves 16, inwhich sieves are placed. The first or upper sieve.(indicated by thereference-numeral 17) has a mesh of such a size that wheat-grains willreadily pass through and grains of oats will be prevented from passingover the sieve and discharged from its lower end beyond the rear end ofthe machine-trough 1 8, which is secured to the rear 10 weren dportionofthe main frame 10.'

Hence by means of this first sieve We have a separation of the large orperfect oats from the remainder of the mixture. The referencenumeral 19indicates a second sieve mounted in the slot 16 ofthe frame 11,immediately The mesh of this sieve fall upon an inclined platform 21,which will.

be hereinafter described. The reference-numeral 22 indicates the thirdoneof the series of sieves mounted in the frame 11. This sieve isshorter than the ones above it, and an inclined partition 23 is fixed tothe frame 11 some distance in the rear of the sieve 22 to direct theseeds of grain that pass over the sieve 22 to an inclined platform 24,which connects with a chute 25, that is passed through an open ing inthe side of the frame 10 to a point of discharge. The mesh of thesieve22 is of such a size that weed-seeds and dust alone will pass throughit, and the grain of small and imperfect size that has passed throughthe sieve 19 will pass over it and be discharged through.

the chute 25,as described. An inclined platform 26 is fixed to the undersurface of the frame 11 to guide the substances passing through thesieve 22 and direct them to enter a chute 27, which will direct them toa point of discharge at the side of the machine. Hence the worthlessmatter, such as weedseeds and dust, will pass through the chute 27 tothe exterior of the machine.

It is obvious that with the combination of elements just described aquantity of grain having both wheat and oats therein cannot bethoroughly separated, for the reason that a great quantity of theoat-seeds are of substantially the same size as the wheat-seeds,

and for this reason I have combined with this set of sieves thefollowing device,the function atthe frontend thereof, which frame issuspended'upon the hangers 29, which are pivot-'1 ed to the main frame,near its upper end, and

also to the upper end portion of the frame 29.

The platform hereinbefore mentioned (llldh. cated by thereference-numeral 21) is mounted in the top of this frame 29 andinclines down-v wardly at its forward end. A sieve 30 is mounted in thisframe immediately beneath the platform 21, and hence the wheat'seeds,together with the smaller grains of oats, will all be passed to theupper end of this sieve 30,

whichsieve has a mesh smaller than the sieve 17, but larger than 19,being of such a size as to still further graduate the seeds as to size,so that some of the remaining oat-seeds will not pass therethrough,butbe discharged from the rear end of the sieve 30 to a platform 31,which leads to-the trough 18, where the oatseeds thatcannot pass overthe first sieve 17 are discharged. The wheat and small oat seeds thatpass through the sieve 30 are of substantially the same size, the sieves17 and 19'having produced a grade of mixed berries free fromextremely-large oat-seeds and all small and imperfect seeds, dust, andimpurities, while the last screening through openings of a sizeintermediate between those just mentioned still more delicately assortsthe berries; This latter grade of com paratively coarse mixed particlesof almost equal size is directed bymeans of an inclined platform 32 to asieve where the seeds are separated ac-' cording to weight. This sieve33 has a mesh 0f such a size that both the wheat and oat seeds may passtherethrough, and on its top surface is a series of transverseprojections or shoulders 34, and on the under surface of the sieve is aseries of deflectors 35, which are located directly beneath theaforesaid shoulders 34. Certain of the grains in the mixture will notpass through this sieve for reasons hereinafter made clear, and thesegrains are directed to the trough 18. Below this sieve 33 is an inclinedplatform 36, which will direct the seeds to a sieve 37, and a sieve 38is located immediately beneath the sieve 37. These sieves 37 and 38 aremerely for the purpose of graduating the perfect seeds that have passedthrough the above process as to size and they might be omitted withoutchanging the other features of the process.

' I- have provided means whereby all the sieves in the frame 29 may beadjusted as to their incline to satisfy certain conditions of the grainwith comparative case. This means comprises two uprights 39,which areslidingly mounted in grooves in the frame 29. A series of openings 40are formed in these slides 39 to coincide with similar openings 41 inthe the slide 39 and-into the fram'e and the slide be secured relativeto the frame. It is obvious that by raising and lowering these slidesthe pitch or incline of each of the sieves contained in the frame 29 maybe adjusted. The opposite ends of the sieve may be pivotally supportedby pins turning inholes in the casing, as is clearlyshown in Fig. 5.

I have provided. means for agitating the frame 29, together with allofits sieves, during the operation of the machine, as follows: 42

indicates a crank-shaft rotatably mounted in suitable hearings in theframe 29 and having crank-arms 43 thereon to pass. through the slots 44,formed in the side pieces of the frame 29, and this crank-shaft 42 isrotated during the operation of the machine by mechanism hereinafterdescribed. t

The reference-numeral 45 indicates a fancasing'fixed in themachine-frame and discharging at a point below the sieve 33 46indicatesa shaft rotatably mounted in suitable bejarings in themachine-frame and having a fan 47 thereon, and also a pinion 48 and apulley 49. 50 indicates a shaft rotatably mounted in suitable bearingsin the machine- 'frame and having fixed thereto a cog-wheel 51,meshedwith the pinion 48, and also a crank 52, whereby the machine may bedriven. 53 indicates a crank-arm formed on the shaft 15, and 54indicates a pitman pivoted eccentrically to the pulley 49 and alsopivoted to the end of the crankshaft-53. These parts are so arrangedthat as the belt-wheel 49 is retated the crank-shaft 15 will be rocked.

In practical use it is obvious that the seeds will be separated beforethey are passed to the screen 33 sufficiently so that only such seeds asare of a substantially-uniform size will pass to the said screen. It iswell known that thehull on the oat-seeds makes the seeds lighter inproportion to their size than the wheat-seeds, and this difference inspecific gravity is taken advantage of in this step of the separatingprocess. During the operation of the machine there is a blast of airfrom the fan discharged through the sieve 33', and as the seeds arepassed over this sieve the blast of airwili operate to force the lighteroat-seeds over the sieve, while the blast is so proportioned thatwheat-seeds may drop through the sieve. This process of separation byweight is made doubly accurate by means of the shoulders 34 and thedeflectors 35. A quantity of wheat and oat seeds will become lodged uponthe sieve 33 directly above the shoulders 34, and as the air-pressure isgreatest at these points, on account of to the trough 18, while thewheat-seeds being heavier will merely roll over the said shoulders andpass upon the sieve below the shoulder, where they willLbe permitted topass through the sieve.

It will be seen that if it were desired to clean and grade a singlevariety of grain it could be done without the air-current through thelower sieve, and therefore without the application of power to themachine.

Having thus described the construction, arrangement, and function ofeach of the various parts of the machine, what I claim as my invention,and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor,is-

1. In a machine for separating mixtures of wheat and oats, thecombination of three sieves upon which the mixture is successivelytreated, the third having openings intermediate in size between thefirst and second whereby a grade of mixed grains ofsubstantially-uniform size is produced, a fourth sieve to which thisgrade is delivered, and a device for causing an air-currenttherethrough, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for separating mixtures of wheat and oats, thecombination of three sieves upon which the mixture is successivelytreated, the third having openings intermcdiate in size between thefirst and second whereby a grade of mixed grains ofsubstantially-uniform size is produced, a fourth sieve to which thisgrade is delivered, a device for causing an aircurrent therethrough, andmeans for agitating the sieves, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for separating mixtures of wheat and oats, thecombination of three sieves upon which the mixture is successivelytreated, the third having openings intermediate in size between thefirst and second whereby a grade of mixed grains ofsubstantially-uniform size is produced, a fourth sieve to which thisgrade is delivered, a device for causing an aircurrent therethrough, andmeans for adjusting the inclination of the last-named sieve,substantially as described.

4. In a machine for separating mixtures of wheat and oats, thecombination of three sieves upon which the mixture is successivelytreated, the third having openings intermediate in size between thefirst and second whereby a grade of mixed grains ofsubstantially-uniform size is produced, a fourth sieve to which thisgrade is delivered, a device for causing an air-current therethrough,and one or more transverse projections upon the upper surface of thelast-named sieve, substantially as described. V

5. In a machine for separating mixtures of wheat and oats, thecombination of three sieves upon which the mixture is successivelytreated, the third having openings intermediate in size between thefirst and second whereby a grade of the mixed grains ofsubstantially-uniform size is produced, a fourth sieve to which thisgrade is delivered, a device for causing an air-current therethrough,one or more transverse projections upon the upper surface of thelast-named sieve, and deflectors below said projections, substantiallyas described.

6. In a grain-separator, the combination of a sieve delivering itstailings outside the ma-- chine, a second sieve receiving the materialpassing through the first, a third sieve having smaller openings thanthe first and larger than the second receiving the tailings from thelatter, a fourth sieve to which the material passing through the thirdis delivered and a device for causing an air-current through this fourthsieve, substantially as described.

7. In a grain-separator, the combination of a sieve delivering itstailings outside the machine, a second receiving the material passingthrough the first, a third sieve having smaller openings than the firstand larger than the second receiving the tailings from the latter, afourth sieve to which the material passing through the third isdelivered, a' device for causing an air-current through this fourthsieve, and means for adjusting the inclination of the third and fourthsieves, substantially as described.

8. In a grain-separator, the combination of a sieve delivering itstailings outside the machine, a second sieve receiving the materialpassing through the first, a third sieve having smaller openings thanthe first and larger than the second receiving the tailin gs from thelatter, and a fourth sieve to which the material passing through thesecond is delivered,which in turn discharges both grades producedoutside the machine, substantially as described.

9. In a machine for separating mixtures of wheat and oats, thecombination of a sieve over which the larger oat-berries pass while theremainder of the mixture falls through, a second sieve to which thelatter portion is delivered which separates perfect grains fromimperfect grains and impurities, the former tailing over upon a thirdsieve which removes a second grade of oats while the wheat and thesmaller oats fall through upon a fourth sieve by which, in connectionwith a device for causing an air-current therethrough, the wheat andoats are separated one from the other, substantially as described.

10. A machine for separating wheat and oats, comprising in combination,a machineframe, a shaft rotatably mounted therein, means for applyingpower to rotate said shaft, one or more sieves slidingly mounted in thetop of the machine-frame, and having a mesh of a size to prevent thepassage of perfect oats and permit grains of wheat to pass through,

means for agitating said sieve or sieves from said shaft, one or moresieves mounted in the machine-frame beneath the point in the upper sievewhere the Wheat and small oats are discharged, a fan, means foroperating it from said shaft to send ablast of air through said lowersieve or sieves to thereby separate the Wheat and oats according toweight, substantiall y as set forth.

' SAMUEL R. CULP.

Witnesses:

A. R. GARDINER, KATE ANDREWS.

